May 11, 2012

Oroville Mercury Register
June 19, 1944
Inman’s Name Read At Graduation
The name of Cpl. Arthur N. Inman, who is with the 17th Replacement Control Officer in England will be read with those of the 1944 graduating class of San Jose State College at commencement exercises June 23. Inman, who has been awarded honors in journalism, enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942. In April 1943, with 95 of his classmates, he entered active service. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hobert Inman of Linden avenue, and is a graduate of Oroville high school, class of 39.
Oroville Mercury Register June 19, 1944 Edwin (Bill ) Brown on Navy Leave Here Edwin George (Bill) Brown, seaman 1/c, radioman, of the navy, is in Oroville visiting his mother Mrs. Lizzie Varnum of Paxon addition. While here Brown is also attending to affairs in the estate of his father, the late H. C. (Brownie) Brown, former taxi man here. Brown, who entered the service 14 months ago, was assigned to a merchant marine ship after he had completed special radio training. His ship was one of the first to take cargo into the Marshall Islands after the big invasion there. He will report Thursday at Treasure Island for new assignment. The navy man was guest at a dinner Sunday when 20 relatives gathered in his honor at the home of his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Jackson of Gridley.

Continued from last week
From: The Feather River Territorial Special Edition 1959 By James Lenhoff
Pioneer Railroad Financiers said it was preposterous! Engineers said it was impossible! But the Argonauts of Oroville did it anyway. In February of 1859 the California Central Railroad had completed a line from Folsom to Lincoln and started laying tracks to Marysville. However, the Civil War put a quick halt to this enterprise, and by 1864 the line had not been finished. Even the great transcontinental railroad promoted by the Big Four had bogged down in piles of government red tape and civil strife.

Because of such circumstances railroad men looked on Oroville’s venture as wishful thinking- in fact the laughing stock of the West. However, Binney laughed right back and started grading on January 19, 1861, with one hundred men recruited from the surrounding mines. On that same day Mr. A. M. Wyman, editor of the partisan BUTTE DEMOCRAT , noted with journalistic vigor, “The public have been anxiously and impatiently looking for this event for some time past. By January 1862, the iron horse ought to be heard puffing on his semi-daily trips between the two places,, bringing merchandise for our people and the dweller in the mountains, as well as parties of pleasure and invalids from below to the Gem of the Foothills, where they can inhale the pure breath of Heaven as it comes to us from the mountains, laden with health and fragrance.” The unforeseen severity of the Civil War delayed completion of the project for nearly two years, but through Binney’s remarkable resources and the backing of the staunch citizens of Oroville, the work never once shut down. When rails were unobtainable on the Pacific Coast, Binney went back to New York, located a ware house full of them, and had them shipped to California via Cape Horn. Today Andrew Binney sat on the high back of a fancy carriage, a town hero if ever there was one.
The parade tromped around town for a full hour, finally breaking up on the Courthouse Plaza, General Bidwell and his staff, and of course the free lunch. While the saloons tended to the social celebrants, the more curious of mind climbed over, under, through and around the “great iron horse” which sat cooling its ferric muscles.

Stu’s notes: One reason I did Jim’s story in my Military Column was to show Californians helped in the Civil War. The gold of Butte County, I think, was a big help in winning the War, a War in my opinion that was a “good War”, if there is such a thing. If our country was split apart into two Countries what would we have? How long would the evils of Slavery had gone on. How could we get to the moon without Texas and Florida. This little railroad helped get the gold where it was needed. And the Local Military were very involved in the celebration.

If you read yesterday’s paper you will already know where to find me tomorrow. I will be in Lot A near the Eagles Hall. You can stop by my booth and look at all the memorabilia of the Oroville Dam and also see our plans for the Veterans Memorial. On Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, at 11am, you will find me at the Oroville Memorial Park Cemetery on Lincoln at the ceremony on the hill honoring all of our fallen men and women of the armed forces. Then at 1pm I will be out on the Old Green Bridge near the Veterans Hall where another ceremony that I, along with the help of our Oroville Veterans Memorial Park Committee, revived about 7 years ago will take place. There will also be a Bar-b-que by the American Legion with Chef Wayne Brock at the grill. It will be at the Veterans Hall on Montgomery Street.